When it comes to your car, checking the depth and color of the fluids under the hood with a dipstick every few months is a good indicator of the health of your engine or transmission. For bodybuilders, you have that very same dipstick available to you for kidney health, right in front of your eyes, 10 to 15 times per day, and you probably don't even know it. This gauge for kidney health is, of course, your urine stream.



If you drink enough water, your urine should be a near-clear color. Supplementation with vitamin B, Iron, or a multi-vitamin may lead to a darker yellow color for a few hours. But typically, a healthy male who is drinking an adequate amount of water (8 to 16 cups per day) should have clear urine. When said healthy bodybuilder discovers change in urine color, there is cause for concern.

Some supplements, including creatine, will cause the body to require more liquid than normal. Creatine's action is to draw water into the muscle cells, which makes it unavailable for other bodily functions. Anabolic steroids, as one might suspect, can cause the kidneys to work harder as well. Many steroids are extremely toxic to the kidneys. Trenbolone is suspected to be the toughest compound to process.

When you begin a cycle, be sure to increase your water consumption levels as well. Your kidneys will benefit from the extra fluids being present for their processing duties. Closely examine your urine stream daily. If you notice your urine becoming a darker color, immediately consult a doctor, or re-consider the stack you are running. Your kidneys are very powerful organs, but they are small and can be hurt easily with toxic substances.

Bodybuilders preparing for a show run additional risks. In the final weeks before a show, many bodybuilders will cut water consumption in order to remove water from under the subcutaneous layer of the skin. While this makes the muscles and veins show more easily and allows the bodybuilder to appear more muscular, it also robs the kidneys of water needed for processing. Toss in diuretic use, which many bodybuilders consume to further drain water, and the effects of toxic anabolic steroids can suddenly intensify.

Additionally, if your family history includes a predisposition to kidney damage, simply using a product like creatine might be a bad idea. Injecting toxic anabolic steroids would then be considered a terrible idea.

Be smart when it comes to protecting your kidneys when using anabolic steroids. Watch the color of the urine stream, have blood work done regularly, and you should be in the clear!